Motor vehicle with simulator of performance of a mechanical gearbox

ABSTRACT

A vehicle having a motor with a transmission, provided with a fixed gear ratio, to a propelling unit includes a virtual gearbox including a microprocessor, operatively interfaced with the motor and programmed to manage and check the generation of motor driving torque, limiting, at the motor output, a maximum angular velocity and a maximum torque which are variable with a predetermined law.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.16/327,442, filed Feb. 22, 2019, which is the National Phase ofInternational Application PCT/IT2017/000207, filed Sep. 26, 2017, whichdesignated the U.S. and that International Application was publishedunder PCT Article 21(2) in English, and claims priority to ItalianApplication No. 102016000096737, filed Sep. 27, 2016, the contents ofwhich are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to a motor vehicle having a transmission withfixed gear ratio to a propelling unit, equipped with a simulator of theperformance of a mechanical gearbox.

BACKGROUND ART

As is known, the performance of a vehicle propulsion motor is defined bymeans of mechanical characteristics consisting of the torque “C” and themaximum angular velocity “n” of the motor, whilst the performance of avehicle equipped with the motor is characterised by two mechanicalparameters, consisting of the tractive force “F” at the driving wheels,that the vehicle must apply in order to move a working load, and thespeed “V” at which the movement occurs.

In vehicles, operation of the mechanical gearbox allows the achievementof high vehicle tractive forces (and, therefore, high levels ofacceleration) in low gears, correlated with low speeds, and low tractiveforces but high speeds with high gears.

The performance of certain types of vehicle having a transmission withfixed gear ratio (final drive ratio)—as is the case, for example, incertain vehicles for recreational activities, such as go-karts whichtake their motive power from a direct drive electric motor—generallyspeaking for some categories of users is not as entertaining andenthralling as that which could otherwise be obtained using an internalcombustion engine. The latter, in contrast, comprises a gearbox withvariable gear ratios, interposed between the engine and the axle, andwhich transmits to the wheels the engine power factors (torque andangular velocity n), modified depending on the desired, or necessary,temporary propulsion conditions of the vehicle at the various gearsprovided by the gearbox.

To satisfy such a type of demand from users, there are already prior artsimulators comprising an electronically actuated gearbox, managed byelectronic operating and checking means, that the user controls usinggear selectors which can be operated from the steering wheel of thevehicle driving position.

Disadvantageously, these simulators have many moving parts which, on onehand have a negative effect on vehicle performance reliability, makingfrequent maintenance necessary and thereby rendering such simulators notvery suitable for rental vehicles; and, on the other hand, make thevehicle heavy, penalising its racing performance; and increase vehiclecosts.

Another disadvantage of these systems is the fact that they offer fixedreduction ratios (i1; i2; i3; . . . in) that are often not suitable forthe circuit or for the driving style of the driver and that require moreor less complex and expensive operations in order to change them.

On the other hand, the use of a mechanical gearbox may also bedisadvantageous at a commercial level, considering the increase in coststhat may apply to the vehicle due to the physical presence of thegearbox and the clutch.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The aim of this invention is to overcome the disadvantages of the priorart, by means of electronic simulation of a mechanical gearbox withvariable gear ratios, which can be implemented practically without useof additional parts that have weight and of significantly appreciablemovement for the configuration of the vehicle.

In accordance with the invention, that result is achieved by a vehicledefined as in any of the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The advantages of the invention are more apparent in the detaileddescription which follows, with reference to the accompanying drawingswhich illustrate an example, non-limiting embodiment of the invention,in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic functional block diagram of a vehicle according tothis invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

With reference to FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings, the numeral (1)denotes in its entirety a vehicle having a motor (10) with atransmission (11), with fixed gear ratio (ip), to a propelling unit (12)shown as the driving wheels of the vehicle (1).

The vehicle (1) is preferably—by way of example and without limiting theinvention—a go-kart equipped with an electric motor (10).

The motor (10) and the transmission (11) can be dynamically connected bya coupling (17) that makes the motor (10) independent of the wheels (12)and that, once the motor (10) has been started with no load, allowsgradual application of the external load.

The vehicle (1) comprises a virtual gearbox (13), that is to say, asimulator of the performance of a mechanical gearbox whichelectronically simulates the latter by means of suitable real-time checkof the parameters for generating and supplying driving torque for themotor (10).

More particularly, said virtual gearbox (13) comprises microprocessormeans (14), located on a suitable printed circuit board, which areoperatively interfaced with the motor (10) and programmed to manage andcheck the generation of the maximum driving torque (Co) parameters, withconstant power, preferably maximum, and with angular velocity (n at themotor (10) output, that is to say, at the transmission (11) input, whichare variable, with a suitably predetermined law.

The variable velocity (n) is correlated with a corresponding drivingtorque of the motor (10) according to variable gear ratios (i1; i2; i3;. . . in), preferably with separate values relating to the differentgears that a hypothetical discontinuous speed variation mechanicalgearbox would have, if the latter were actually and physically presentin the vehicle (1).

Selecting means (15) for selecting the velocity (n) at the transmission(11) input are provided associated with a steering wheel (20) of thevehicle (1). Said selecting means can be activated with a manualcommand, deliberately, issued by the vehicle driver, from the steeringwheel (20), and transmitted as input to the microprocessor means (14)for starting—for each characteristic gear of the virtual gearbox(13)—and in real time all of the processing operations that allow acorresponding suitable electric motor (10) management in terms of torque(C) and corresponding angular velocity (n) with vehicle (1) constantpower, preferably maximum.

Obviously, the microprocessor means (14) can manage the supply ofdriving power even according to different functions, which are in anycase correlated with the simulation of an automatic gearbox that is realand physically present on the vehicle (1).

In fact, they can allow simulation, via software, even of a variation ofthe velocity (n) according to multiple gear ratios (i1; i2; i3 . . .in), whose values are programmable as desired by the user, for example,according to a mathematical progression, different on each occasion, forexample selected relative to distinctive features of the various trackson which the go-kart may race.

Moreover, the microprocessor means (14) may manage the operatingparameters of the electric motor (10) in such a way as to also generate,if necessary, a counter-driving torque useful for vehicle (1) braking.

That function can be exploited, for example, to advantageously simulatedownshifting, that is to say, “engine braking” due, for example, tointrinsic friction of an internal combustion engine. Therefore, allconditions able to give the vehicle driver sensations of inertia, ofmass, like those that would be felt when driving a vehicle powered by aninternal combustion engine.

Moreover, said counter-driving force may be modulated, even withvariable intensity using a different law of variation, depending on thevirtual gear, in the progression of gears of the gearbox, or in the idlestate in which the vehicle (1) is stationary with the motor (10)running.

The microprocessor means (14) can also allow generation of the drivingtorque (Co) of the motor (10) simulating the law of progression duringacceleration (picking up again, or from a standing start) of a realvehicle operating with inertias and frictions whose numerical values areprocessed by the microprocessor means (14).

The microprocessor means (14) can manage operating parameters of theelectric motor (10) even simulating engagement and disengagement of amechanical clutch.

Sound reproducing means (16) can also be provided, for reproducingsounds, corresponding to the sound spectrum of a real internalcombustion engine (10), sounds that are harmonised, depending on themotor (10) speed, where the expression virtual speed means the speedthat an engine system would have with a gearbox having the same gearratio selected as in the virtual gearbox.

In the above description reference was made to a vehicle able to movewith a torque (C) and velocity (n) which are variable according to agear ratio (i) that is stepped, that is to say, having a series ofseparate predetermined ratios. However, it is clear that the drivingtorque supply parameters of the motor (10) may also be implemented insuch a way as to simulate a continuously variable transmission if thatlaw of simulation is of interest.

To better explain several distinctive features of the invention, thefollowing non-limiting comparison may be used by way of example.Consider a vehicle with a hypothetical mechanical gearbox havingseparate ratios and reduction ratios of i1=2, i2=1.5 and i3=1, with aconstant torque curve equal to 50 Nm and n=5,000 rpm, maximum values,which respectively allow the achievement of maximum speeds for each gearof 25 km/h, 37.5 km/h and 50 km/h, with respective torques at the wheelsof 100 Nm, 75 Nm and 50 Nm. Then take a vehicle with the inventioninstalled and install a motor (10) able to supply a constant torque of100 Nm from 0 to 5,000 rpm, with a fixed reduction ratio if=1. Whenvirtual gear No. 1 is engaged in the vehicle, the electric motor is setin real time to supply a maximum of 100 Nm of torque from 0 to 2,500rpm, allowing the vehicle to reach the maximum speed of 25 km/h with atorque at the wheels of 100 Nm, precisely as in vehicle 1 in gear No. 1.Then, when virtual gear No. 2 is engaged, the electric motor (10) ischoked so that it supplies a maximum of 75 Nm of torque at the wheelswith a maximum speed of 37.5 km/h, just like in gear No. 2 of thevehicle equipped with the mechanical gearbox, and so on.

It is possible to calculate the virtual revolutions per minute (rpm) ofthe electric motor (10) in order to make them equivalent to the motor(10) that has a mechanical gearbox. In that way, with virtual gear No. 1engaged, when the vehicle reaches the speed of 25 km/h, the virtualrevolutions per minute (rpm) are 5,000. This makes it possible toreproduce a simulated sound that emulates the tone of a motor (10) witha gearbox, and to reproduce on a display the virtual rpm of the motor,in a condition such that, for example, first gear is engaged and the revcounter is at the full-scale position, when the rpm are 2,500 (but thevirtual rpm are 5,000).

The invention achieves the proposed aims, also providing the additionaladvantages of high levels of operating effectiveness and stability, aswell as being inexpensive to make, maintain and use.

In conclusion, the invention operates by performing fully electronicadjustment and management of the drive unit driving power generating andsupplying curves, operations that are carried out in real time as avirtual simulation of the dynamics of a vehicle equipped with amechanical gearbox having multiple gears. All of that is done despitethe fact that the vehicle in question is actually fitted with a physicaltransmission having a single, fixed ratio.

The invention described above is susceptible of evident industrialapplication. It may also be modified and adapted in several ways withoutthereby departing from the scope of the following claims.

Moreover, all details of the invention may be substituted by technicallyequivalent elements.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method comprising: programming a microprocessor to emulate a virtual gearbox of a vehicle, wherein the programming comprises setting limits of a maximum angular velocity and a maximum torque according to a predetermined rule, wherein the predetermined rule is set according to a speed of the vehicle; providing, by an electric motor, an angular velocity and a torque to a transmission with a fixed gear ratio; and limiting, using the microprocessor, the angular velocity and the torque of the electric motor according to the maximum angular velocity, the maximum torque, and the speed of the vehicle, wherein the virtual gearbox simulates a plurality of gear ratios of a mechanical gearbox.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the maximum torque and the maximum angular velocity are variable while keeping a power from the electric motor constant.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor is configured to manage operating parameters of the electric motor relating to generating a counter-driving power.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the counter-driving power has a variable intensity that varies according to a current state of the virtual gearbox.
 5. The method of claim 3, wherein the counter-driving power is used for vehicle braking.
 6. The method of claim 3, wherein the counter-driving power simulates downshifting.
 7. The method of claim 3, wherein the counter-driving power simulates engine braking caused by intrinsic friction of an internal combustion engine.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein parameters associated with the torque of the electric motor are managed by the microprocessor according to preset virtual operating conditions so as to simulate a law of progression during acceleration of a real vehicle having the mechanical gearbox with multiple gear ratios.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor manages operating parameters of the electric motor relating to simulating an engagement and a disengagement of a mechanical clutch.
 10. The method of claim 1, further comprising reproducing a harmonized sound, the harmonized sound depending on instantaneous conditions of the electric motor that correspond to a sound spectrum of a real internal combustion engine in a same condition.
 11. The method of claim 1, wherein the maximum torque and the maximum angular velocity are variable according to separate gear ratios.
 12. The method of claim 1, wherein the maximum torque and the maximum angular velocity are variable according to a continuously variable transmission.
 13. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting a virtual gearbox ratio of the maximum torque and the maximum angular velocity as an input of the transmission.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the selecting is activated automatically.
 15. The method of claim 13, wherein the selecting is activated by a command from a vehicle operator.
 16. The method of claim 15, further comprising inputting the command by the vehicle operator to the microprocessor via a user interface.
 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the user interface is disposed in a steering wheel of the vehicle.
 18. The method of claim 1, wherein the electric motor is independent of a propelling unit of the vehicle.
 19. The method of claim 18, wherein, upon starting the electric motor, no load from the propelling unit is applied to the electric motor.
 20. The method of claim 18, wherein, upon starting the electric motor, a load from the propelling unit is gradually applied to the electric motor. 